Accra, June 10, GNA – The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has engaged the Ghana Armed Forces in an open forum on Ghana’s fourth republican constitutional dispensation.
The forum, at the Burma Camp, was part of activities marking the 2022 Annual Constitution Week to consolidate the gains made by the State in the 30 years of democratic dispensation and solicit views on constitutional reforms.
April 28, this year, marks exactly 30 years since 92 per cent of Ghanaians voted ‘yes’ in a referendum to accept and approve the 1992 Constitution as the fundamental law of the country.
The theme for the Constitution Week education campaign is: “Three decades of uninterrupted constitutional rule: revisiting the agenda for reforms.”
The military, under the fourth Republican Constitution is said to have played a paramount role in helping to ensure stability in Ghana’s governance and democratic processes.
At the forum, whiles some officers raised concerns about the “winner takes all governance,” and called for constitutional reforms, others called for a review.
Some others suggested that security education should be an integral part of Ghana’s curricular from the basic schools to the tertiary level.
An officer also called for more education and explanation on the campaign “See Something, Say Something” against terrorism. He called on citizens to be vigilant always.
Madam Kathleen Addy, Acting Chairperson, National Commission for Civic Education, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said, the engagement was in tandem with the Commission’s mandate to promote and sustain Ghana’s democracy through civic education.
She said soldiers were citizens of the country like civilians hence the need to deepen their understanding in democracy, seek views on reforms that reflect the citizen’s aspirations.
“Maybe our understanding of nationhood and democracy might have changed, so why don’t we make some changes in the Constitution to reflect the current time that we live in,” Madam Addy stated.
She said, generally, citizens were calling for amendments to several provisions, including the appointing powers of the President, particularly with regards to the district chief executives.
The Acting Chairperson said the NCCE had not taken sides but was only getting the people to understand what the governance issues were to feed a reform process as a follow up to the work of 2010 Constitutional Review Commission.
Colonel Michel Yao Borbi, Director for Education, Ghana Armed Forces, in a welcome address, said, 30 years of uninterrupted constitutional rule was a great achievement, adding that the education by the NCCE was relevant.
“The National Commission for Civic Education’s view that having constitutional rule for 30 years is a milestone that must be celebrated, is a statement I identify with in its entirety with the knowledge of our political history,” he said.
Col. Borbi said the magnitude of significance of the 1992 Constitution cannot be underestimated as it helds duty bearers accountable for their stewardship.
He said the military was a key stakeholder in the democratic dispensation and would not relent on their duties.
He called on every citizen to live by the tenets of the Constitution.
The NCCE is expected to collate views and present them to the State.
GNA